16/02/2023 By acomputer 578 Views

In Metz, the old man still has a bright future ahead of him

Nicolas and Maud created their company Merveilles d’un temps in December 2020. Photo DR

Whether online or in stores, vintage is guaranteed success. Second-hand businesses have taken advantage of the crisis to develop a little more and can rely on a new and promising clientele for the future.

“This is a sector that has not suffered too much from the crisis. Perhaps even one of the few for whom it has proven beneficial. The confinement has boosted sales of businesses of old objects. The French “locked up” in their accommodation quickly wanted to change their air, redo the decoration that they could no longer see in paint, or even bring forward some projects initially planned for later. In any case, this is the observation made by several traders in Metz specializing in second-hand goods.

“The activity worked really well during the confinement,” confirms Sabrina Karp of La Brocante des Morues. Her shop is her home. It was therefore able to continue deliveries to its customers without difficulty. Its concept? She hunts for pieces of second-hand furniture and decoration, restores them and then showcases them at home, then on social networks so that they can find buyers. From time to time, she organizes open houses and works with other “favorite” professionals to put them in the spotlight during these days. Since her installation in 2019, she has noticed that the second hand has become more democratic. “At first, there were three of us doing this. Today, we are much more numerous and are added the individuals who take care of it like pros. It is a form of competition. The year 2022 will mark the three years of his company. To celebrate them, she is preparing to take a new step: developing a showroom in her new home as well as nationwide deliveries.

Explosion of supply

Doing something new with something old is in tune with the times. A trend that has prompted entrepreneurs to get started. The city of Metz had 20 second-hand shops as of January 10, 2022, compared to 13 as of December 31, 2015, an increase of 54% over seven years. At the city level, it represents less than 1%. However, this data, which comes from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, does not take into account shops that exist only online. This is the case of Les Merveilles d'un temps, a company set up during the second confinement by two young people in their twenties. "The first baby" by Maud Kretz and Nicolas Tuma. "Our couple was formed while we were restoring our first chest of drawers," says the entrepreneur. With Maud, they discovered a common passion in the restoration of furniture and mirrors and wanted to start together via social networks. “We have always loved vintage. " Instagram is for them a showcase on which they post pieces at unbeatable prices "The biggest mirror we have sold cost around 280 euros. “Rates which are explained by the fact that the couple does not live from this business. Therefore, he can afford to reduce his margins. With this network, Wonders of a Time mainly reaches young people. “65% of our customers are between 25 and 35 years old. »

Increasingly thoughtful consumption

In Metz, the old man still has good days ahead of him

Set up since July 2021 at the corner of rue Taison, Laurent Thomas, manager of the Brendy Concept Store, has also noticed the emergence of this new clientele. In his store, he relies on three different offers to operate all year round: old furniture, new decoration because the old is often accompanied by a more modern touch, and a thrift store. It is the latter that particularly appeals to a younger clientele. “Young people are in the process of consuming differently. It's not a fad, it's structural! These young people will pass on the same values to their children and this consumption will continue,” explains Laurent Thomas. of yesteryear that will bring them back to their memories. A military jacket, a Perfecto or even a kimono can be unearthed at the Brendy Concept Store, which seeks to offer an original range of clothing that cannot be found elsewhere. Affordable atypical for an average ticket estimated at 30 euros. The thrift store, an innovative concept that Laurent Thomas sees himself developing in other medium-sized cities with high potential such as Nancy or Reims.

Christine Bertrand-Barthels, who runs Le Dressing de Léa, the consignment store located on rue Mazelle, makes the same observation. "In recent years, the clientele has been younger and is part of an ecological and non-wasteful approach". At her, customers can find brands 50 to 60% cheaper. Half of the sale price (at least) goes to the depositor. “The more expensive the product, the more the percentage is in favor of the customer so that she comes back to make other deposits in store. »

Online platforms, competition?

Vinted, Back Market, Leboncoin… Online sales platforms for second-hand products are also developing. If they can appear as a form of competition, for Laurent Thomas, they do not replace the service of a physical store. “We fight on the service offered to the customer, the well-kept store, the sellers who take great care. I like the contact that we can have with the client. For him, online sales should be an additional tool. Moreover, he himself uses this type of platform to sell luxury products. For Christine Bertrand-Barthels, even if it is not always easy to face the Internet, the two types of trade will continue without one taking the place of the other. The two systems are not necessarily antagonistic and can progress together since they do not affect the same targets.